How likely is it that humans aren’t alone in the universe? Reports of strange lights, UFO sightings, and alien encounters abound—and some (like recent accounts from US Navy pilots) even sound credible. This book turns our collective gaze skyward: What’s the likelihood of life on other planets? Or that aliens have already made the trip to visit us? How would they get here? Why do we want to find them? And what does it mean if we do (or don’t)? Teaching readers to challenge their gut assumptions and open their minds to new possibilities, using critical thinking and the scientific method, journalist Laura Krantz investigates the science, culture, and philosophy of a universe where we’re not alone—and why the idea of alien life has abducted our imaginations.